Best Actor in a Television Drama

The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama is an honor given annually during the Golden Globe Awards ceremony by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The association includes journalists and photographers covering the US entertainment industry for publications predominantly in non-US media markets. This award is presented to an actor to recognize the brilliance with which he essayed a lead role of a drama television series bringing the character to life on small screen thereby adding value to the series making it more appealing to the viewers.

The HFPA started honoring outstanding television works from the 13th Golden Globe Awards held in February 1956, and first presented this category under the title Best TV Star – Male during the March 5, 1962, held 19th Golden Globe Awards. American journalist, host, radio and TV personality John Charles Daly and American comedian and actor Bob Newhart won the award that year. Name of winners were only announced in that year and the next while starting from the 21st Golden Globe Awards (1964) names of nominees are announced for this category.

The Best TV Star – Male category considered performance of actors in both drama and comedy genres till 1969, however, from the 27th Golden Globe Awards (1970) the category was split into Drama and Musical or Comedy genres by the association to take heed of and recognize acting caliber of performers in both genres. The two separate categories were first presented that year under the titles Best TV Actor – Drama and Best TV Actor – Musical or Comedy. American actor Mike Connors became first recipient of the Best TV Actor – Drama award for his best known role of private detective Joe Mannix in the CBS aired detective television series Mannix. The award was rechristened as Best Actor – Television Series Drama in 1980.

During the 33rd Golden Globe Awards (1976), American actor Robert Blake won the award tying with Greek-American actor Telly Savalas for their respective titular roles in the ABC aired detective television series Baretta and the CBS aired action crime drama television series Kojak. This was Savalas’ second consecutive award in the category that he received for the same role in Kojak. Other accomplished actors besides Savalas who also won the award twice are Ed Asner, Jon Hamm, Hugh Laurie, and John Forsythe. The latter two won their respective awards consecutively. American film and television actor, comedian, TV director and producer, and singer Peter Falk received seven nominations, the most earned in this category, for his best known role of Lieutenant Columbo on the NBC/ABC aired crime drama television series Columbo and won it once in 1973; tying with American actor Tom Selleck whose breakout role of Thomas Magnum in the CBS aired crime drama television series Magnum, P.I. also fetched the latter seven nominations of which Selleck won one in 1985.

List of Winners - Golden Globes Best Actor in a Television Drama Series